Best WiFi routers – which one is right for you?

Buying a good WiFi router is as simple as heading to the store and picking up the cheapest one, right? While that router might do the job, with today’s high-speed internet it’s important to get a router that can truly handle your connection. In reality, picking a router can be a rather daunting task; there are so many details that distinguish routers from each other, and when the quality of your Netflix stream is at stake, this is one purchase that deserves a proper search.

Not exactly sure where to get started? Don’t worry, in this feature we take a closer look at some of the best WiFi routers available, giving you a great place to start on your quest for the best router that meets your needs.

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Linksys AC1900 Dual Band Wireless Router

This Linksys router uses Beamforming technology to make sure that all your devices are receiving a strong WiFi signal by focusing the signal on the device. It comes with the added benefit of a smartphone app which allows you to manage the network with features such as: Guest Access, Parental Controls, and Device Prioritization. At right around $100, it’s also pretty darn affordable considering all the tech packed inside.

NETGEAR AC1750 Smart WiFi Router

Coming in at a similar price point to the Linksys router, at around $110, the AC1750 is a dual band router with slightly lower speeds than the Linksys router. This one too comes with a smartphone app and Beamforming+ technology. What makes the AC1750 stand out is the integration with the popular Amazon Echo, making it possible to control the router via voice commands. Whether that’s worth a small sacrifice in max speed capabilities is ultimately up to you.

Netgear Orbi AC3000

The Netgear Orbi is in a totally different class than the previous two. Whereas the last two use dual-band technology to minimize overlap of signals, the Orbi utilities a dedicated tri-band setup that allows the base to send an uninterrupted signal to the included satellite, which allows for even greater coverage. Ultimately this is the most impressive router on the list so far with tons of exxtras including a special app, Amazon Echo compatibility, and crazy high speeds. On the flipside, it does have one major drawback: all this tech comes at a price that’s 3x more than its competition at $350.

Here are some other key details about this particular router:

Ports: 1x WAN, 3x LAN, 1x USB

Max Speed: 3000Mbps

LED’s: 1x ring LED which represents connection between Orbi router and satellite

ASUS T-AC88U WiFi Router

ASUS delivers a router that packs all the horsepower needed to take your gaming to the next level. They do this by including a special WTFast client which allows the router to connect to the GPN: a network that ensures that users are receiving consistently low ping times, an important aspect to online gaming. Combined with overall excellent speeds, this is one epic router. It’s also slightly cheaper than the Orbi at $270. Of course, it also is lacking a few extras like Amazon Echo support.

TP-Link Archer C9 AC1900

This router comes with Beamforming technology to ensure a strong and stable connection when moving around, an easy-to-use smartphone app, and 24/7 tech support. Coming in at only a slightly higher price tag than the Linksys and Netgear AC1750, at $117, it brings high speeds but lacks support for Amazon Echo, a feature that is becoming more prevalent among routers these days.

TP-Link AC1200

The least expensive of our best WiFi routers, the AC1200 provides more than enough speed for the low price tag of $60. It doesn’t come with any of the bells and whistles like the others do, such as Amazon Echo support, or Beamforming, but it should do great for day to day use. A max speed of 1200 Mbps makes this one the slowest in this roundup, but if you have more basic needs it still packs plenty of punch while being relatively easy on the wallet.

Google WiFi

Straight from Google, this is truly one of the best WiFi routers. It works similar to the Netgear Orbi in that there is the router, which can then be expanded by adding additional Google WiFi devices, creating a mesh of coverage. Available both in a single pack and a pack of 3, there is an option at both high and low price points. The app allows for easy connection to the network and even the ability to deny access to a particular device.

Best WiFi routers – Conclusion

And that concludes our round-up of the best WiFi routers you can buy right now! Let us know in the comments if we missed one, and leave us your impressions of our selection!

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